Contents

1940s Serials

Batman

Batman is a 1943 15-chapter serial starring Lewis Wilson as Batman and Douglas Croft as Robin produced by Columbia pictures. The serial depicted the dynamic duo as US Government spies apprehending a Japanese agent named Dr. Daka (J. Carrol Naish) during World War II.

Batman and Robin

Columbia Pictures produced another 15-chapter serial with Batman and Robin this time going after a mysterious villain named The Wizard whose identity wasn't revealed until the end. Batman was played by Robert Lowery with Robin played by Johnny Duncan.

Batman Returns

After the success of Batman, Tim Burton released the sequel Batman Returns on June 19, 1992 with Michael Keaton returning in his starring role with two main adversaries: The Penguin (portrayed by Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer).

Christopher Nolan Films

Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises

The films produced by filmmaker Christopher Nolan, known collectively as The Dark Knight Trilogy, were released between 2005 and 2012 and substantially rebooted the franchise aiming for a darker, more realistic tone.

Batman: Gotham Knight

Gotham Knight is a 2008 direct-to-DVD animated anthology series consisting of six animated short films set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Each film is presented with its own unique art style and is not meant to be canon with the other Nolan films.

The Dark Knight

Plans for a sequel were already in the works around the time of Begins when Goyer outlined a story featuring the Joker. Robin Williams and Steve Carrell were big contenders for the role which ultimately went to Heath Ledger. The film featured Harvey Dent/Two-Face in prominent role and was played by Aaron Eckhart while Maggie Gyllenhaal replaced Katie Holmes as Rachel. The film opened on July 18, 2008 to massive critical acclaim with Heath Ledger, who died during production, being posthumously awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.

DC Cinematic Universe

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

At the 2013 Comic-Con, director Zack Snyder announced he and Warner Bros are planning to produce a sequel to Man of Steel which will feature a crossover with DC Comics characters Batman and Superman. As of now it is tentatively titled Batman Vs. Superman and is aiming for a 2016 release. On August 22, 2013, it was announced that Warner Bros. that Academy-Award winning actor/director Ben Affleck will play Batman in the film.